PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy of Agency Eleven, Village PR & Raven PR
WORDS Madeline Reid & Chiara Maculan
If New York’s fashion cohort were leaning into whimsical fantasies to distract from disastrous politics, London’s designers felt more in touch with their reality, and ready to face it head-on. The mood heading into London Fashion Week felt slightly tentative, with last-minute schedule changes and gloomy weather forecasted. This was also due to criticism from online commentators amid concerns that Britain’s fashion capital is losing relevancy on the global stage. Last week, the Business of Fashion published a now-viral graph comparing the earned media value of each major fashion capital, with London lagging over $100 million behind its closest rival, New York, and over $400 million behind Paris.
This should not be surprising – aside from the difficulties facing British fashion due to Brexit and its impact on dwindling luxury sales and work opportunities, London has never been on an even playing field with Paris and its juggernaut of heritage luxury houses. And nor does it want to be. There have also been suggestions that London, as well as New York, should “slim down” to show once a year, although there has also been staunch defence against the idea, most notably from the British Fashion Council’s former CEO, Caroline Rush.
This season has proven that for many designers, the notion of showing via a traditional runway annually shouldn’t be taken as a sign of defeat – some beloved brands including Standing Ground, Chopova Lowena, 16Arlington, Masha Popova and Feben have already opted to spare the twice-yearly cost, while still releasing lookbooks directly to audiences online. Others chose to explore new formats to showcase their designs, hosting dinners, performances and presentations in place of classic catwalk shows – like at Stefan Cooke‘s private womenswear preview, Talia Byre‘s intimate salon presentation and Kazna Asker‘s Yemeni souk, all prioritising their brands as businesses and not buckling under pressure to fit in with the way things have always been.
After all, some of the industry’s greatest talents have been nurtured on British runways – even if they’ve since gone on to helm houses elsewhere. It is here, among the innovative minds of London’s emerging designers, that this city’s creative spirit is thriving. Some used their collections to explore themes of uncertainty, including Maximilian Raynor’s ‘Welcome to the Un-United Kingdom’ and Abigail Ajobi’s ‘I’M NOT ENGLISH, I’M BRITISH’. Others chose to speak to audiences more directly – at Ashish, statements sparkled across sequinned t-shirts, while Simone Rocha used an Aesop fable as a metaphor for fashion, and at TOGA, the subtlety of undone collars encouraged a rebellious sartorial spirit.
Below, see our favourite collections from the AW25 season.
MAXIMILIAN RAYNOR
Raynor first appeared on our radar with his BA graduate collection of architectural ribbon gowns in 2023, and has been quietly garnering his reputation as ‘one to watch’ ever since. On Thursday, the rising star unofficially opened LFW with his debut solo runway show, ‘Welcome to the Un-United Kingdom’. Supported by creative non-profit HiFi, Raynor presented a dystopian vision of the future – a world ravaged by unchecked technological advancement and environmental neglect.
“An overwhelming global presence of hate and conflict is an unsettling context within which to create fashion but my resounding ongoing ethos is that design is an indispensable art form that allows us to escape and reflect our times and culture. I hope my storytelling, – though wild, theatrical and imagination – has the power to incite genuine reflection from my audience,” says the designer of his inspiration.
Set in the year 3025, the collection saw the CSM alum refine his exaggerated silhouettes and textured styles, which have already caught the attention of Lady Gaga and Chappell Roan, to create a cinematic vision of rebellious spirit. The mood was high thanks to live music courtesy of Horn-fuelled filth-funk band Opus Kink, while a dramatic dance performance took to the runway before Raynor’s dishevelled bride closed the show.
CSM MA
Opening the BFC NEWGEN Showspace on Thursday evening, 18 Central Saint Martins MA Fashion graduates shared their collections in a very impressive student showcase. There were several repeated motifs that appeared across the collections: destruction and reconstruction, as seen in distressed dresses, rearranged suiting, and pants pulled apart at the seams; whimsical accessories, from teacups as hats to pompom knits, parcel tape belts and bags so delicious you could take a bite (literally); and several black swaddled ensembles. Plus, there was plenty of vibrant knitwear, silky gowns and striking sparkles.
In the end, Petra Fagerstrom’s intricately pleated plaids that blended AI with traditional craftsmanship, and William Palmer’s chewed-up satirical take on British cliches, took home the prestigious L’Oreal Professional Creative Awards.
TALIA BYRE
In an industry fraught with a “go-big or go-home” mentality, Talia Byre proved that bigger does not mean better. Easily one of the most talked-about presentations of the season, designer Talia Lipkin-Connor hosted a small, salon-like showcase in Incubator gallery, where she perched atop a stool next to her models, carefully explaining each look in her AW25 collection.
While the novel setting (which allowed select guests to have an intimate discussion with the designer) would be worthy of praise purely for its rarity, the clothes were also excellent. “Character dressing – not a costume, not a uniform, but a wardrobe with a pulse, a feeling, a charge. The pieces sit low on the hips, long in the hem, cut with a precision that shapes and shifts with the body. They walk into a room before you do,” wrote Alex Kessler in the collection notes, which Lipkin-Connor offered her audience along with a printed lookbook to take home. The collection was bursting with personality and celebrated the joy of individualism, offering wardrobe staples like polo shirts, a-line skirts and rugby tops in azure, lilac and canary yellow, dirty tartans and Beetlejuice stripes.
DI PETSA
Di Petsa is a storyteller. Using her runway as her page, the Greek designer has shared tales of mythical love stories, Earthly healing powers and the birth of Venus through her past collections. For AW25’s ‘Reflections of Desire’ Di Petsa celebrated divine femininity, empowerment and the sensuality of self-love.
The designer was supported by a cast of famous faces on the runway including Mia Khalifa, Tsunaina and Eva Gutowski. There, the models donned her signature sodden gowns in angelic white and devilish crimson, while new wet-look leather and heavy furs offered seasonally-appropriate outerwear and oversized accessories. Additionally, Petsa reimagined menswear from the female gaze, crafting characters that embody poets, muses, fantasies, and goddesses – each a manifestation of the creative force of Eros.
RICHARD QUINN
It was no surprise to onlookers that Richard Quinn’s AW25 collection would be loaded with exceptionally elegant eveningwear. The London-based designer is one of the city’s go-to red carpet dressers, but for his latest collection, he was inspired to explore the momentous occasions in everyday life that call for extra special outfits – weddings, anniversaries, birthdays – through timeless designs made to be cherished and passed down through generations.
The designer has made his brand synonymous with distinctive prints, but this season they took a back seat (save a few floral frocks) in favour of a largely monochrome palette, punctuated with pops of ruby and seafoam. Silhouette reigned supreme, with countless show-stopping ensembles sure to be seen on magazine covers come September.
London is another central influence for Quinn, who let it snow on his larger-than-life streetscape runway, complete with street lamps, faux railings and a Georgian townhouse facade. The spectacle felt reminiscent of the late Karl Lagerfeld’s legendary set designs for Chanel, and Quinn stood out from his peers for his grandiose approach – few designers seem keen to carry that baton (or can afford to) – making the dramatic backdrop a welcome addition to this subdued season.
DILARA FINDIKOGLU
The murmurs for Dilara Findikoğlu to helm a major luxury label (*cough* Alexander McQueen *cough*) are getting louder each season and the Turkish designer’s latest offering didn’t fail to meet our high expectations, preserving her momentum even after taking a break last September. Hosted at renowned rave and fetish dungeon Electrowerkz, the collection, entitled ‘Venus From Chaos’, reimagined a world where female liberation reigns supreme and helps us disengage from the overbearing chaos of our times by finding strength and resilience within femininity itself.
Inspired by the Roman goddess, the showcase displayed Dilara’s signature motifs, including sheer chiffon fabrics, snakeskin leather, phoenix-like feathers, and Victorian silhouettes, channelling the provocative and untamed energy that has recurrently distinguished the label. Scandalously low-waisted jeans, theatrical corsetry made from braided hair, and ocean-kissed ensembles decorated by pearls and sea shells also adorned the bodies on the catwalk, recalling Botticelli’s ‘Birth Of Venus’.
The designer continues boldly pushing creative boundaries with cinched deconstructed tailoring, shimmering embellished headphones and an extraordinary closing look: a nude leather naked dress moulded onto the model’s figure, crafted in partnership with master leather artisans Whitaker Malem and intricately etched with striking blood-red graphics by renowned tattoo artist Jonah Slater.
DENZILPATRICK
For AW25, founder and Creative Director Daniel Gayle and Artistic Director James Bosley invited guests to a primary school playground, where they showcased a bold collection inspired by historical portrayals of masculinity via reimagined medieval pageantry and peacocking, paired with the independent spirit of the racetrack.
In recent years, Formula 1’s presence in the fashion world has significantly increased, and this collection’s vibrant hues and luxurious textures were ideal for British racing star Lewis Hamilton’s spunky race-day style. Smart trousers featured mud-stained hems, a reminder of hard-fought victories among all the glamour, paired with armoured vests prepped to fight off London commuters.
SINEAD O’DWYER
Having just been announced as an LVMH Prize semi-finalist, and after taking a season away from the runway, Sinead O’Dwyer’s return to London Fashion Week was highly anticipated. For her last show as part of the BFC’s NEWGEN scheme, O’Dwyer honoured the eclectic cast of characters she has built her brand around and the figure-hugging styles she has developed. Her signature bodystockings were styled over sheer black tights and under satin mini dresses, while new styles included vinyl jackets and bleach-washed denim jumpsuits.
O’Dwyer merged traditional Irish dance references with Japanese footwear brand Ground’s signature bubble sole, fusing a squiggle knit sock and front-lacing technology which was also seen on the front panels of a sheer organza dress and pair of tailored leather trousers. Plus, a footwear sponsorship with Puma offered black ballet flats and silver sneakers.
PAULINE DUJANCOURT
BFC NEWGEN designer Pauline Dujancourt showcased an unexpected standout collection for her debut runway show. For AW25, the knitwear designer explored the idea of reconnection with her grandmother, and in turn, with herself. “In the 1980s, Dujancourt’s father gifted her grandmother a Vriesea plant, a rare beauty that bloomed only-occasionally, revealing vivid red flowers before fading again,” the designer explained to guests.
Inspired by the plant, Dujancourt has created her own winter bloom through her collection’s floral forms and fabrications. Silky draping in dark charcoal and cobweb knits in taupe, steel blue, coffee and caramel were accentuated with striking red accents. Since her LVMH Prize shortlist last year, the designer has paused her freelance knitwear work for Alexander McQueen, Molly Goddard and Rejina Pyo to prioritise her namesake label, and it paid off. The collection was thematically simple yet effective, and her touching colour story highlighted the craftsmanship of her romantic wispy garments, paired with stomping Dr Martens for a contemporary styling touch.
KAZNA ASKER
Kazna Asker brought the Yemeni souk to London Fashion Week, hosting a range of local artisans at her AW25 presentation in the BFC NEWGEN show space. The Sheffield-raised designer wanted to highlight local businesses and charities, inspired by her family owning stalls in Yemen and corner shops in the UK, and the selflessness she has experienced within her community.
What would typically be a sleepy Sunday morning slot became a bustling bazaar as independent booksellers and handmade jewellery were laid out on stalls in the space. Much like O’Dwyer, Asker has prioritised cultivating an authentic community around her brand rather than pandering to industry critics, and the results were felt in the room – attendees reflected the energetic spirit of the presentation, exuberantly chatting with the stall owners, trying on jewellery, and relaxing on tapestry cushions while enjoying Adeni tea and Palestine Cola. Meanwhile, models posed throughout the space on Persian carpets wearing a blend of traditional dress and sportswear accents in muted tones of olive, navy and burgundy, accessorised with keffiyeh headdresses, strings of silver jewellery and Yemeni jambiya daggers tucked into leather body straps.
TOGA
“I started to wonder whether formal concerns in dressing were now outdated. Whether they’d been deemed unnecessary,” explained designer Yasuko Furuta. “I took inspiration from the way William Eggleston dresses and how it deconstructs formality and masculinity. Eggleston often wears an untied bowtie around his neck. It’s an aesthetic of rebellion against formal dress, and one which differs from dressing casually or wearing a t-shirt with a statement.”
Challenging our ideas of formalwear, Furata presented her signature interplay of masculinity and femininity through oversized undone collars, asymmetric exaggerated shoulders and deconstructed leather loafers, transforming classic tailoring into a statement of nonchalance. The collection also saw the return of the brand’s 2017 ‘micro’ skirts that took the form of upholstered inflatable rings in multiple iterations, while luxurious faux fur and jewelled accents added a refined touch to the understated collection.
CHET LO
For AW25, Chet Lo presents ‘Modern Antiquity’, confronting the colonialist history of Western interpretations of Asian art. Drawing inspiration from misrepresented artistic tropes, Lo reinterpreted chinoiserie – a European style popular in the 17th and 18th centuries that imitated Asian designs – through distorted motif patterns on textured t-shirts, knit hoodies and printed two-pieces.
The designer told journalists backstage that for AW25, he wanted to make wearable clothes that he would steal from the runway and into his personal wardrobe, as seen in casual separates and cheeky tie-dye ties. Texture reigned supreme, with simple silhouettes aided by Lo’s signature merino wool spikes and an intricate woven pleat mimicking a honeycomb texture. The collection, while relaxed, was a powerful reclamation of Western interpretation into a powerful statement of cultural reclamation, reinvention, and celebration of Asian artistry.
SIMONE ROCHA
A highlight of every London Fashion Week, Simone Rocha’s highly-anticipated AW25 collection saw the Irish designer interpret the fable of The Tortoise & The Hare. It’s an appropriate metaphor for fashion, as Rocha self-identifies with the tortoise – steadily making her own way through this hasty industry. In a star-studded showcase, runway models included Alexa Chung and beloved actresses Fiona Shaw and Bel Powley,
What was undoubtedly her darkest collection yet, Rocha’s recognisable girlish aesthetic was punked up with lashings of leather, chain attachments and oversized padlocks fit for the bikesheds where smokers hang back after school, as suggested in her minimal show notes. Faux fur featured heavily, from strapless bras and dress hems to statement coats, while Rocha’s feminine touches could be found in laced ribbons, puffed tulle sleeves and embellished socks.
ASHISH
Following a two-year hiatus and the hapless theft of his collection in Paris, Ashish returned to London Fashion Week with an exhilarating show titled ‘Crisis of Confidence’. Reflecting a unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, the collection featured his earmark sparkly aesthetic and reconceptualised the idea of a ‘walk of shame’, as models teasingly strutted down the runway with balloons entangled in their hair and chewing gums in their mouths.
After a slew of tonal greys, muted palettes, and utilitarian fabrics this season, the Delhi-born designer came to the rescue with its signature array of colourful sequins, vibrant knitwear, and bold political slogans that rebuked the current rise of authoritarianism and brought cheeky fun and glam back to the catwalk. As guests cheered with marvel and approval, glittery jumpers, star-constellated sheer fabrics, and tasselled party dresses alternated with hoodies and capes that audaciously read “Up yours”, “Slut for Socialism”, and “Fashion Not Fascism”.
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